⚽️🥇 Host City Watch: STR Rules in Play
As the countdown to 2026 and 2028 begins, host cities across the U.S. are ramping up STR enforcement. Los Angeles, CA; Atlanta, GA; Kansas City, MO; New York/New Jersey; Arlington, TX; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Orange Count, CA. READ MORE.
The 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics and Paralympic are on the horizon, host cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico and are preparing for an influx of visitors from around the globe. As the world's attention land on these highly anticipated events, families, tourists, and passionate fans will flock to each destination to cheer on their teams and represent their nations.
Local governments are facing the challenge of managing this surge in visitors, especially when it comes to accommodations. In response, many cities are revisiting their accommodation and rental regulations, taxes, and fees to ensure readiness, maintain order, and protect neighborhoods ahead of the international spotlight.
Here's a look at how some host cities are addressing short-term rental oversight in anticipation of these global events.
As Los Angeles gears up for the 2028 Olympics and 2026 FIFA World Cup, housing advocates and service providers are raising alarms over the city’s capacity to balance massive infrastructure plans with an already dire homelessness crisis, especially amid concerns that past displacement patterns could repeat.
Although LA28 promises a “no-build” Games by relying on existing facilities and UCLA dorms, adjacent developments like Inglewood’s $2 billion transit connector have already displaced dozens of businesses and hundreds of workers.
Meanwhile, the city is ramping up enforcement on illegal short-term rentals, particularly in rent-controlled buildings, as it prepares for the 2028 Olympics and faces an ongoing housing shortage. A joint investigation revealed that many STR listings violate the city’s Home Sharing Ordinance, with thousands of units still operating without approval.
In response, the Housing Committee is considering higher fines, more inspectors, and a booking verification system to block unregistered listings.
As Atlanta prepares to welcome international crowds for the 2026 World Cup, its long-running short-term rental (STR) policy gridlock is drawing renewed urgency. Despite a 2022 ordinance that taxed STRs like hotels and restricted operations, city officials quickly suspended enforcement after pushback from operators and legal complications.
Council President Doug Shipman now says the World Cup’s arrival will force the city to act, especially near event zones like downtown, midtown, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Neighborhood leaders say the city has favored revenue over responsibility, while STR advocates argue for grandfathering existing properties. The debate has dragged on for six years, with council hearings and discussions ending in stalemate.
Kansas City metro leaders are split on whether to ease short-term rental rules to accommodate an estimated 650,000 visitors for the 2026 World Cup.
Cities like Parkville, Independence, and Belton are leading the way with plans to temporarily, or even permanently, expand STR access, citing the tourism boost. Buckner loosened distance rules for STR owners, and Kansas City, Missouri may suspend some restrictions to allow more listings.
Others, including Roeland Park and Wyandotte County, are in early talks about potential tax hikes or regulatory tweaks. But many cities remain firm: Prairie Village’s ban will still take effect in November, and towns like Weston, Leawood, and Northmoor say their existing bans or tight controls will stay in place, prioritizing long-term residents over short-term renters during the global event.
As Arlington gears up to host nine World Cup matches in 2026, interest in short-term rentals near AT&T Stadium is climbing, with permitted listings now topping 200.
Local rules require hosts to pay a hotel tax, undergo inspections, and operate only in designated STR zones. While some, like host Kara Ireland, see potential for strong revenue, industry analysts warn that major events don’t always guarantee profits especially if supply balloons too quickly. With occupancy data from AirDNA still developing and city permitting costs starting at $500, hosts are being advised to plan carefully, factor in costs, and avoid assuming easy money.
Airbnb’s new partnership with FIFA ahead of the 2026 World Cup is setting the stage for a short-term rental boom in U.S. host cities. As the official alternative accommodations provider for multiple tournaments, Airbnb expects over 380,000 travelers to use its platform in 2026, including more than 42,000 in the Dallas area alone.
In other news, Dallas’ battle to implement a sweeping short-term rental ban has been dealt another blow, as an appeals court rejected the city’s latest push to enforce the ordinance. The court denied Dallas’ motion for en banc reconsideration—meaning a full panel review—of an earlier decision that blocked enforcement of the law, which would have banned most STRs in single-family zones. The city’s attempt to argue tax noncompliance fell flat, as judges found no precedent supporting that claim’s relevance to the injunction.
Houston has officially approved its new short-term rental rules, with city council finalizing amendments and setting an August 1 start for registration. Operators must pay a $275 annual fee, complete human trafficking training, and follow stricter standards around nuisance issues. If an operator loses three permits in two years, the city can now revoke all remaining permits.
Will The 2026 World Cup in Houston Have an Impact on the Real Estate Market?
The Orange County Grand Jury’s new report, “Long-Term Solutions to Short-Term Rentals,” highlights the urgent need for cities to update STR regulations ahead of the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
With tourism expected to spike, the report warns that current STR enforcement is inconsistent across the county’s 34 cities. Some allow STRs with rules in place, others have outright bans, but many struggle with illegal listings, uncollected TOT, and weak code enforcement. The report recommends adopting standardized practices, like requiring business licenses, emergency contacts, and good neighbor policies, as well as using digital tools to detect unpermitted rentals.
The city will report back in early 2026 on enforcement trends and the effectiveness of third-party tools, as other cities look to tighten rules before the global spotlight arrives.
New York/New Jersey
Short-term rental hosts in New York City must now register with the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) under Local Law 18, with full enforcement in effect as of September 5, 2023.
This law doesn’t change the long-standing rules: entire apartments can’t be rented for fewer than 30 days unless the host is present, with no more than two guests at a time, and full access to exits and the unit is required. Booking platforms are barred from processing payments for unregistered listings. Applications are live through the OSE registration portal, but hosts in NYCHA, rent-controlled, rent-stabilized, and SRO housing are not eligible. Landlords can also proactively block short-term rentals in their buildings by notifying the city.
In Jersey City, short-term rentals are tightly restricted, with the city explicitly limiting where and how hosts can operate. Only owner-occupied residences—including certain condos and small multifamily homes—are eligible to host guests, and strict rules exclude all government-subsidized housing, rent-controlled units, and tenant-run STRs.
Properties in large multifamily buildings, or where the owner isn't present, are off-limits unless they qualify under narrow exceptions for hosts who were active before the ordinance was adopted. Even then, non-owner-occupied rentals are capped at 60 nights per year and must be overseen by a local designee.
Official FIFA World Cup pages for host cities and countries.
Mexico: Guadalajara - Mexico City -Monterrey
United States: Atlanta - Boston - Dallas - Houston - Kansas City - Los Angeles - Miami - New York New Jersey - Philadelphia - San Francisco Bay Area - Seattle
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